Banks Hill was a French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred

The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...

 Champion

Cartier Racing Award

The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier jewelers. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers.Eight...

 filly

Filly

A filly is a young female horse too young to be called a mare. There are several specific definitions in use.*In most cases filly is a female horse under the age of four years old....

 racehorse

Horse racing

Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...

. She was bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms

Juddmonte Farms

Juddmonte Farms is a famous and award-winning horse breeding farm, owned by Prince Khalid Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. A member of the Saudi Arabian royal family the successful businessman presides over the massive conglomerate Mawared...

. She was sired by Danehill

Danehill (horse)

Danehill was a Thoroughbred racehorse who was bred in the United States. During his phenomenal stud career Danehill became a champion sire on both sides of the Equator...

, a multiple Champion sire in England, Ireland, and France and the most successful sire in the history of Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

n Thoroughbred racing. Her dam was the outstanding broodmare, Hasili

Hasili (horse)

Hasili is a retired French Thoroughbred racehorse who is an outstanding broodmare. A Khalid Abdullah hombred at his Juddmonte Farms, she was out of the mare Kerali and sired by Kahyasi, winner of the 1988 Irish and Epsom Derbys...

, whose sire Kahyasi

Kahyasi

Kahyasi was an Irish-bred and British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse, winner of the Epsom Derby in 1988.Kahyasi was trained by Luca Cumani during his racing career and was ridden by Ray Cochrane to a length-and-a-half victory over Glacial Storm in the Epsom Classic.He went on the win the Irish...

 won the 1988 Irish and Epsom Derby

Epsom Derby

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

s. Banks Hill is a full sister to Cacique

Cacique (horse)

Cacique is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who competed in Europe and the United States. Bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, Cacique is the son of the great international Champion sire, Danehill. He was out of the fantastic mare, Hasili whose damsire, Kahyasi, won the 1988 Epsom...

, Intercontinental

Intercontinental (horse)

Intercontinental is a Thoroughbred Champion filly racehorse who competed in England, France, and the United States.Bred and raced by Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, she was sired by Danehill, a multiple Champion sire in England, Ireland, and France and the most successful sire in the history of...

, and Champs Elysees

Champs Elysees (horse)

Champs Elysees is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse who has competed successfully in Europe and North America....

.

2001 European and American Champion

Trained by André Fabre

André Fabre

André Fabre is a French thoroughbred horse racing trainer.The son of a diplomat, Fabre graduated from university with a law degree but then decided to pursue a career in thoroughbred horse racing. He began by working in the stables as a groom then as a schooling rider...

, Banks Hill made her racing debut at age two with a win in the Prix Pearl Cap at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse

Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse

The Hippodrome de Maisons-Laffitte at 1 avenue de la Pelouse in the northwestern Parisian suburb of Maisons-Laffitte in France is a turf horse racing facility and track for Thoroughbred flat racing...

 on October 31, 2000. She had an outstanding year at age three, winning the Prix de Sandringham

Prix de Sandringham

The Prix de Sandringham is a Group 2 flat horse race in France open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Chantilly over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June.-History:...

 at Chantilly Racecourse

Chantilly Racecourse

Chantilly Racecourse is a Thoroughbred turf racecourse for flat racing in Chantilly, Oise, France, about north of the centre of the city of Paris....

 and England's Group 1

Group One

Group One or Group 1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. Group One races may be run under handicap conditions in Australia but in Europe weight-for-age conditions always apply. Races may be also restricted to age groups or a...

 Coronation Stakes

Coronation Stakes

The Coronation Stakes is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred fillies. It is run at Ascot over a distance of 1 mile , and it is scheduled to take place each year in June.-History:...

 at Ascot Racecourse

Ascot Racecourse

Ascot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races...

 before being sent to Belmont Park

Belmont Park

Belmont Park is a major thoroughbred horse-racing facility located in Elmont in the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, on Long Island adjoining New York City. It first opened on May 4, 1905...

 in Elmont, New York

Elmont, New York

Elmont is an unincorporated census-designated place located in the northwest corner of the Town of Hempstead in Nassau County, New York, along its border with the borough of Queens in New York City...

, There, she gave Juddmonte Farms their first ever Breeders' Cup

Breeders' Cup

The Breeders' Cup World Championships is an annual series of Thoroughbred horse races, most but not all Grade I, operated by Breeders' Cup Limited, a company formed in 1982. From its inception in 1984 through 2006, it was a single-day event; starting in 2007, it expanded to two days. The location...

 win with an impressive 5½-length victory in the October 27 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

. Banks Hill's 2001 performances earned her the Eclipse Award

Eclipse Award

The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...

 as the American Champion Female Turf Horse and the Cartier Award

Cartier Racing Award

The Cartier Racing Awards are awards in European horse racing, founded in 1991, and sponsored by Cartier jewelers. The award winners are decided by points earned in group races plus the votes cast by British racing journalists and readers of the Racing Post and Daily Telegraph newspapers.Eight...

 as the European Champion Three-Year-Old Filly.

Banks Hill's only win of 2002 came on August 18 in her third start when she captured the Group 1 Prix Jacques Le Marois

Prix Jacques le Marois

The Prix Jacques Le Marois is a Group 1 flat horse race in France open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older. It is run at Deauville over a distance of 1,600 metres , and it is scheduled to take place each year in August....

 at Deauville Racecourse. After running second to Rock of Gibraltar

Rock of Gibraltar (horse)

Rock of Gibraltar is a Champion racehorse and stallion owned by Coolmore, for whom he currently stands in Ireland and Australia .He is named after the Rock of Gibraltar, a monolithic limestone promontory located in Gibraltar on...

 in the September 8 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp

Prix du Moulin de Longchamp

The Prix du Moulin de Longchamp is a Group 1 flat horse race in France which is open to thoroughbred colts and fillies aged three years or older...

, she was sent back to the United States in September 2002 where she ran third in the October 5 Yellow Ribbon Stakes

Yellow Ribbon Stakes

The Yellow Ribbon Stakes is a Grade I race for thoroughbred fillies and mares aged three-years-old and upwards. It is raced during the Oak Tree Racing Association meeting at Santa Anita Park in late September / early October. It is a major prep race for the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf and is...

 after which trainer André Fabre recommended she be transferred to American trainer Robert Frankel to prepare for the defense of her Breeders' Cup title. http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G1-92742692.html For Frankel, Banks Hill ran second behind stablemate Starine

Starine

Starine was a French Thoroughbred racehorse foaled in Orne who competed in France and in the United States. She made her racing debut for owner/breeder Catherine Dubois in June 1999 and on July 16, 1999 got her first win in the Prix des Edelweiss at Aix-les-Bains racecourse. After winning the...

 in her return to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf

The Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf is a Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race on turf for fillies and mares, three years old and up. It is held annually at a different racetrack in the United States as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships....

 on October 26 at Arlington Park

Arlington Park

Arlington Park is a horse race track in the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights, Illinois. Horse racing in the Chicago region has been a popular sport since the early days of the city in the 1830s, and at one time Chicago had more horse racing tracks than any other major metropolitan area...

, and in the final start of her career on December 2, ran fourth in the Matriarch Stakes

Matriarch Stakes

The Matriarch Stakes is an American Grade I turf race for thoroughbred horses run annually at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California for a purse of $250,000...

 at Hollywood Park Racetrack.

Retired to broodmare duty, Banks Hill was bred twice to Kingmambo

Kingmambo

Kingmambo is an American thoroughbred stallion racehorse.-Background:He was sired by the leading stud, Mr...

 http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/20595/champion-banks-hills-first-foal-is-a-colt and once to Empire Maker

Empire Maker

Empire Maker is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Owned and bred by Prince Khalid Abdullah's Juddmonte Farms, he was sired by champion Unbridled, winner of the 1990 Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup Classic...

. To date, her foals have not met with success in racing.